Various compact disc containers are known in the prior art. The most widely used type of container, commonly known as a "jewel box", consists of two generally rectangular mating trays joined along a rear edge by a pair of hinges to form a clam shell-like receptacle. Jewel box containers are typically opened by holding the lower tray in one hand and prying the upper tray open with the other hand. The compact disc is retained in a moulded insert placed in the lower tray. Printed promotional and identifying material is also usually fitted inside the container together with the compact disc.
Although jewel box containers are in widespread use, it is apparent that they suffer from several shortcomings. Firstly, they are relatively expensive to manufacture using conventional injection-moulding technology since they are constructed from three separate pieces (i.e. an upper and lower tray and a moulded insert). Secondly, as a result of their hinged construction, jewel box containers are prone to bending or fracturing over time if they are frequently opened and closed. Thirdly, jewel box containers do not provide a completely dust-free storage environment since the side walls of the upper tray typically include vents.
An additional disadvantage of such conventional compact disc containers is that two hands are ordinarily required to open the container and extract the compact disc. Since compact disc players are now frequently installed in automobiles, the need has arisen for a container which can be readily opened by the vehicle driver without removing both hands from the steering wheel.
In order to avoid the disadvantages inherent in the hinged container construction referred to above, it is known in the prior art to employ slidable rather than hinged retaining trays. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,866,541 granted to H. J. Ravis on Dec. 30, 1958 discloses a phonographic record jacket consisting of a drawer-like slide in combination with a protective envelope. In one embodiment, the slide has raised tabs which cooperate with guiding channels in the envelope housing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,849 granted to Prusak, et al. on Aug. 7, 1984 discloses a video disc caddy having a tray slidable in an outer protective jacket. U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,883 granted to Herr, et al. on Sept. 20, 1988 discloses an article for storing digital laser disc devices, such as compact discs, which includes an outer plastic housing within which is slidably engaged an insertable drawer member. U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,369 granted to Philosophe on Oct. 27, 1987 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,827 granted to Torrington on Jul. 3, 1979 also disclose various slidable trays for housing compact discs and the like.
Several of the above-referenced patents incorporate relatively complicated mechanisms for inserting the compact or video disc into an associated compact or video disc player and, accordingly, such containers are not designed for mass production. Further, none of the aforementioned references include a release mechanism to facilitate opening the container with one hand.